Dog sleeping situation- is this ok?

[Locie]

We have a 10 yo German Shepherd. He’s never liked beds. Always favoured the floor and tile. I have him in my bedroom with the door closed when it’s not warm (in summer I like him to have access to the bathroom tile if he is warm). So he sleeps on carpet mostly.

I have bought so many beds but he’s never used them.

He has recently had a CT scan and it shows he has a bad hip and arthritis. I really want him to have some padding for his bones.

i have since put a doubled up duvet on the floor and get him to sit on it (with a treat) - without fail he’s off it in two minutes.

I was thinking of getting one of those xl gym mats you use at school.

Or should just leave him to it? Or I could go back to crating him so he’s forced to have some cushioning. He didn’t mind his crate but pulled up any blankets, mats etc. We just disnt bring it with us as our new home is smaller and he is fine without.

Downstairs he has a bed (never uses) and sleeps on wood mostly during the day. He’s allowed on sofas and occasionally will sleep on that for short periods.

Just leave him to it. We were advised by a dog behaviourist not to bother with dog beds as dogs often prefer a hard floor and if they don’t, they will find their comfortable place. Don’t crate him because it restricts movement and freedom to move is important for arthritis.

you cd try the gym mat but I suspect he’ll choose the floor.

what a lucky boy he is having such a thoughtful owner ❤️

Ddog will sleep wherever he wants, whatever bed you buy. Do you have any old towels? You could try a double layer in the area he sleeps. It's not much, but a little softer than just the floor.

I have a springer with similar issues. I asked the physio about buying a special bed for her and they said not to bother as a lot of dogs don't like them.
Ddog has access to beds, sofas and floors and sleeps wherever she chooses. Quite often she'll choose the wooden window seat.

We used to have German shepherd's and I can honestly say they never used a bed in their lives
One of my current dogs hates beds as well
We tried a few but gave up

You can keep trying and may find something he uses but the likleyhood is that you will just end up spending money on things he dosent like

The only bed type thing ours ever spent time on was a cooling matt in his later years

Thanks all for the advice. I think I will just buy the gym mat and hope he uses as I would like to have the option but then just leave it after. If he’s happy without then he’s happy without. Just would love to see him all cosy in a fluffy bed!

My first corg never lay on a bed always on the tiled floor. Cardigan corgis have a thick double coat and I think her got hot quickly. He lived till 14. One of my current corgis will at night sleep on vet bed with a towel over it (I have wooden floors) I think the fur makes him hot. Dogs (like horses) in the wild don’t nest I think we are looking at their sleeping arrangements through human eyes!

My old long haired dog was never a fan of beds but appreciates a raised bed now he’s older. I just bought one from Amazon for about £20 and it’s been a huge hit. I think sometimes, when they’ve got a dense coat, beds can be too hot, but these make it easier to lie down and are like a hammock off the ground. You can use them on their own or put bedding on top.

More than 30 dogs in I’ve learned….they will sleep where they choose 🤣 I offer big fluffy beds, doubled up duvets, normal dog beds, safe dark crate spaces, and of course, my bed!
No one chooses where I think they should (the skinniest ones choose to sleep on the floor with no padding, the most massive chubby ones want on my bed, the teeny ones sleep UNDER the massive ones!)
Leave him to it. He knows what he wants and needs.

If you search raised dog bed loads come up. My other dog also has one but she is short coated and a diva so likes a soft donut bed on hers!

How about a rug? My ddog has never slept in a dog bed but he does like the rug in my bedroom and DDs bedroom now I think on it. It must be slightly softer than the carpet.

I 2nd the rug idea. Our dog is a Serbian rescue from the streets. He will not lie in a dog bed like the other 2. We did buy him a rectangle thin bed type thing and he lies on that occasionally but he does like the small rug in my daughters bedroom. Like yours he sometimes gets onto the settee but it is very short lived. He is kind of double coated so not sure if its a heat thing...he adores winter and hates summer, even our rubbish ones in Northern England.

Well my elderly, arthritic lab loved his orthopaedic dog bed. Rugs, runners, raised feeding bowl - as vets recommend.

I have rugs from a company called ruggable. You buy a bottom part and then a patterned piece which goes on top. The top piece can be machine washed - depending on size of rug, but all mine fit.

There are different types of top and bottom pieces. Some of them are quite padded and really quite comfy.

This would be my suggestion.

My dog is a bernese. He is 10 and he has always preferred the wooden floor. We had to put down rugs because he was slipping - he has a degenerative condition and now can't walk. Anyway, he bum shuffles himself off the rugs onto the wooden floor!

cot mattress is a good size and supportive offering. Whether he wants to use it is another thing altogether!

I bought a donut type bed for my dog, admittedly because it was really cheap and worth a try. It was really cheap, and looked it - with that slippery kind of synthetic fabric. Well my little dog (miniature poodle x Pomeranian) took to it instantly, and became so fiercely possessive of it (extreme resource guarding for the first time) that I had to get rid of it (the bed, not the dog).